Get Inspired: Revamping Your Web Design

Your website is most clients’ gateway to your firm. Making a great first impression can be the difference between building trust in potential clients and driving visitors to another estate planning law firm. Before they read a single word of website copy or blog content, users have already formed an opinion of your organization based on the look and feel of your website. With so much on the line, it is vitally important that your website sends the right message.

Inspire Confidence

A web design that is sleek and simple will most likely convey to visitors that your firm knows its business and doesn’t rely on attention-seeking gimmicks. When conceptualizing a new design for your website, place yourself in the mindset of a first-time visitor. What solutions are they looking for? What information would they like to take away from visiting your site? Make sure your design supports their needs and makes it easy for them to access the information they require.

Of course, inspiring confidence involves an emotional component as well. Consider including images and other elements that tell your firm’s story and make potential clients feel that they have made the right decision in seeking you out.

Use Negative Space

When users first encounter your site there should be plenty of negative space, or visual “breathing room” between elements. In addition to text, you should incorporate photos and even videos to encourage an immersive experience, but be sure to avoid overwhelming your visitors with visual stimulation.

In the legal field, there is a temptation to provide online visitors with reams of information explaining why your firm is the best in its field with metric tons of evidence to back it up. This is understandable—it makes sense to show off your expertise. However, online readers are notoriously squeamish about unbroken walls of text (especially when using mobile phones). Making this information available on your site makes sense for interested visitors, but it would work best on a “Services” page rather than the Home or About Us section.

Know Your Resources

Many online galleries offer fresh and exciting ideas for design inspiration, but it can be difficult to comb through search results to find the cream of the crop. One example, Awwwards, is a useful site for staying abreast of current web design trends and all the latest analysis. SiteInspire is another extensive gallery of beautifully designed current websites to get you feeling motivated.

Trends and Best Practices

Web design trends come and go, but always keep your site’s functionality in mind. Working backward from the impression you want to create will help to determine which web design elements to include. For instance, a site aiming to create an emotional response might use a hero image, or large header image, to get the viewer’s attention. No matter how you decide to configure your site, make sure it is easy to navigate and incorporates current best practices such as responsive design that allows the site to appear the same on all devices.